Cushioning device for draw-bars



(No Model.)

J. A. HINSON. OUSHIONING DEVICE FOR DRAW BARS.

-No. 461,339. Patented Oct. 13, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HINSON, OF DES MOINES IOIVA.

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR DRAW-BAR-S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,339, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed February 14, 1891. Serial No. 381,474- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushioning Devices for Draw-Bars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates, generally, to draw bar draft-rigging, and particularly to cushioning devices for taking up or absorbing the shocks or blows resulting from the impact between coupling-heads and from the jerking of the coupling devices in moving or pulling the train; and it has for its object to provide a simple yet efiectual device for this purpose of few parts, comparatively inexpensive, and not liable to become damaged or get out of repair; and it consists in providing an auxiliary spring or springs arranged in the draft-tine bers and having their free ends in the path of the follower-plates, so as to be struck by said plates under certain conditions, as will be clearly explained hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, is shown a plan view of a draft-rigging with my improvement applied thereto, parts being broken away to show the arrangement of underlying parts.

A represents the d raft-timbers of a railwaycar, which are to .be secured to the underside of a car in the usual or any desired manner, and B metal plates bolted to the sides of the timbers A and having cast at each end therewith drat't-lugs C, said plates having longitudinal flanges a, cast at their top and bottom edges, between the lugs O on the lower or bottom flanges of which the follower-plates D rest at each end and on which they slide when under strain-that, is, during the movement of the train of cars.

The plates D are the ordinary followerplates, each having a central opening therein through which the spindle 1) passes that supports the ordinary spiral spring 0, said spindle having a thimble or other collarkeyed thereto at its rear end in order to prevent itbeing drawn through the follower-plate and having its forward end secured to the draw-bar, asis customary.

The plates B are formed with oblong or rectangular slots or openings at their center between the lugs O, which correspond with similar slots or openings 6 formed in the drafttimbers. In the openings care arranged and secured in any desired manner the U-springs F, said springs being formed, preferably, of a series of leaves f of varying. lengths, the shorter leaves being arranged within the against the sides of the opening a or against wear-plates secured thereto. The U-spring is arranged in the opening so that its ends project or extend past the inner side or surface of the timbers and lie within the path of the ends of the follower-plates D, said plates being of a greater length than the diameter compressed by the force or pressure exerted surging of the cars or through buffing blows or otherwise to a certain degree within its known strength, the ends of the plates D strike against the ends of the springs F, lying within their paths, and thus transfer to said spring F a portion of the strain or shock and thus relieve the springs from the labor or duty of'sustaining alone the entire shock and bringing to its relief auxiliary springs capable springs against sudden and violent blows I secure in any suit-able manner betweenits ends and partly within the openings e an elastic filler 72., which may be of rubber in the form of a block or may be of metal in the form of a spiral or other shaped spring, as desired, as

longer leaves and the outermost leaf bearing of the spring 0, so that when said spring a is thereon by the follower-plates, owing to the.

themselves of bearinga very strong blow. In. order, however, to relieve said auxiliary is evident, and I do not therefore desire to be claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is t 1. The combination, with the followerplates of a draw-bar draft-rigging, of auxiliary springs secured to the draft-timbers and arranged with their pliable ends Within the path of said follower-plates, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the follower plates of a draw-bar draft-rigging, of springs arranged within openings in the draft-timbers and having their pliable ends extended Within the path of the ends of said followerplates, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the followerplates of a draw-bar draft-rigging, of U- springs secured in openings in the draft-tim- 

